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Step 1
GET THAT BODY MOVING. Parents forget the missing link for standing up straight; it requires a strong body. Turn off the xbox and join your kid outside. Just walking the dog will get the body to remember where the bones and muscles should live.
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Step 2
HOW'S THE TUMMY? A few sit-ups will help. Core muscle strength is the key. A strong stomach will support the back. How many of you grown-ups have back pain? Well, you should have been doing sit-ups, too. Do them together.
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Step 3
HOW'S THE BACK? The funniest thing happens when you strengthen the upper back, you can't help but stand up straight. Try swimming, pilates, or old school calisthenics with your child. You don't need a gym membership to lift a few weights. Buy a chin up bar for the doorway and let your kid hang like a monkey. Throw in a few lifts for fun and you're under way. Don't make a big deal out of it. It's stealth strengthening...
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Step 4
BLEND EXERCISE INTO YOUR LIFE. Few kids want to be told what to do. Adults don’t like it, either. By keeping it cool and just adding a few changes you'll slowly build a healthy body into your child's life. And you've blended it into yours, too. So quit talking and lead by loving example. Keep it fun for your child and you'll forget you ever uttered the words, "stand up straight".
Comments
louietorrez said
on 3/24/2009 its hard for me to stand up straight too... nice article
kskaggs said
on 2/16/2009 I do not know how many times I told my children to stand up straight and quit slouching. Thanks for the article. 5*